This application includes material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates in general to the field of voice and data communications, and in particular to a novel system for providing sponsored or universal communications services.
Over the years, worldwide consideration has been given to the universal service problemxe2x80x94the desirability of providing telephone service to those who cannot afford to pay and maintain telephone service. Networks are significantly more valuable as more users are able to use the network, and the lack of universal service is a barrier to economic participation by those lacking service. Societal benefits of having even the poorest on the public telecommunications network are so significant that the new U.S. Telecommunications Act of 1996 makes special provisions for universal service as part of the Act, including mechanisms to implement subsidized activities. Many states have life-line services which subsidize telecommunications services for users who meet certain low income tests.
Internationally, there are even larger universal service problems as nations such as the Philippines, China, and the republics of the former Soviet Union try to entice investment in their respective telecommunications infrastructures. In these emerging markets, the number of telecommunications lines per capita is much smaller. Because market-based solutions to the universal service problem in these markets are lacking, capital for network infrastructure is limited.
Furthermore, there are applications that provide financial incentives to sponsors so that they would provide free communication services and free applications to their sponsored users. Enabling these applications and services to be provided to users exempt from charges could make it possible to grow the capabilities and reach of public and private networks.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus and operating methodology that provides a market-based solution to the universal service problem.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a novel and substantial solution to the problem of providing phone service for those without proven means to pay or enables sponsors wishing to pay on behalf of others, by providing, voice, data, and multi-media services. The invention provides an apparatus and a related method for controlling public network switching activity or private or virtual private networks in a manner which makes it possible to provide universal service, of telephone, data, multimedia line or services, whether land, satellite, mobile or phone card based and, accompanying applications to a party without charge, and providing metered billing to persons wishing to contact the party. This method effectively provides universal service for telecommunications voice and/or multimedia applications, without tax or market subsidies. For the purposes of the present invention, the universal service user is also defined as an xe2x80x9cexemptxe2x80x9d user or xe2x80x9csponsoredxe2x80x9d user, and the services are alternately referred to as xe2x80x9cuniversal service,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cexempt service,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csponsored service.xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cCallxe2x80x9d is used either as a voice, data, or multimedia contact.